diff -u b/core/modules/comment/comment.module b/core/modules/comment/comment.module
--- b/core/modules/comment/comment.module
+++ b/core/modules/comment/comment.module
@@ -1654,7 +1654,7 @@
   $variables['changed'] = format_date($comment->changed);
 
   $variables['new'] = !empty($comment->new) ? t('new') : '';
-  if (theme_get_setting('features.comment_user_picture')) {
+  if (theme_get_setting('toggle_comment_user_picture')) {
     // To change user picture settings (e.g., image style), edit the 'compact'
     // view mode on the User entity.
     $variables['user_picture'] = user_view($comment->account, 'compact');
@@ -1662,7 +1662,7 @@
   }
 
   $variables['new'] = !empty($comment->new) ? t('new') : '';
-  if (theme_get_setting('toggle_comment_user_picture')) {
+  if (theme_get_setting('features.comment_user_picture')) {
     // To change user picture settings (e.g., image style), edit the 'compact'
     // view mode on the User entity.
     $variables['user_picture'] = user_view($comment->account, 'compact');
diff -u b/core/modules/system/system.install b/core/modules/system/system.install
--- b/core/modules/system/system.install
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.install
@@ -2241,30 +2241,6 @@
 }
 
 /**
- * Move system theme settings from variables to config.
- */
-function system_update_8038() {
-  // Build a list of themes to convert and install default config if provided.
-  $theme_settings_to_config_map = array('theme_settings' => 'system.theme.global');
-  update_7_to_8_install_default_config('module', 'system.theme.global');
-  $themes = list_themes();
-  foreach ($themes as $theme) {
-    $theme_settings_to_config_map['theme_' . $theme->name . '_settings'] = $theme->name . '.settings';
-    update_7_to_8_install_default_config('theme', $theme->name . '.settings');
-  }
-
-  // Converts array of theme settings from Drupal 7's variable system to Drupal
-  // 8's configuration management system.
-  foreach ($theme_settings_to_config_map as $variable => $config_name) {
-    $config = config($config_name);
-    $theme_settings = update_variable_get($variable);
-    if (!empty($theme_settings)) {
-      theme_settings_convert_to_config($theme_settings, $config)->save();
-    }
-  }
-}
-
-/**
  * @} End of "defgroup updates-7.x-to-8.x".
  * The next series of updates should start at 9000.
  */
@@ -2362,6 +2338,30 @@
 }
 
 /**
+ * Move system theme settings from variables to config.
+ */
+function system_update_8043() {
+  // Build a list of themes to convert and install default config if provided.
+  $theme_settings_to_config_map = array('theme_settings' => 'system.theme.global');
+  update_7_to_8_install_default_config('module', 'system.theme.global');
+  $themes = list_themes();
+  foreach ($themes as $theme) {
+    $theme_settings_to_config_map['theme_' . $theme->name . '_settings'] = $theme->name . '.settings';
+    update_7_to_8_install_default_config('theme', $theme->name . '.settings');
+  }
+
+  // Converts array of theme settings from Drupal 7's variable system to Drupal
+  // 8's configuration management system.
+  foreach ($theme_settings_to_config_map as $variable => $config_name) {
+    $config = config($config_name);
+    $theme_settings = update_variable_get($variable);
+    if (!empty($theme_settings)) {
+      theme_settings_convert_to_config($theme_settings, $config)->save();
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+/**
  * @} End of "defgroup updates-7.x-to-8.x".
  * The next series of updates should start at 9000.
  */
diff -u b/core/modules/user/user.module b/core/modules/user/user.module
--- b/core/modules/user/user.module
+++ b/core/modules/user/user.module
@@ -864,7 +864,7 @@
   $variables['extra'] = '';
   if (empty($account->uid)) {
    $variables['uid'] = 0;
-   if (theme_get_setting('toggle_comment_user_verification')) {
+   if (theme_get_setting('features.comment_user_verification')) {
      $variables['extra'] = ' (' . t('not verified') . ')';
    }
   }
@@ -884,7 +884,7 @@
   $variables['extra'] = '';
   if (empty($account->uid)) {
    $variables['uid'] = 0;
-   if (theme_get_setting('features.comment_user_verification')) {
+   if (theme_get_setting('toggle_comment_user_verification')) {
      $variables['extra'] = ' (' . t('not verified') . ')';
    }
   }
only in patch2:
unchanged:
--- a/core/modules/user/lib/Drupal/user/Tests/UserPictureTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/user/lib/Drupal/user/Tests/UserPictureTest.php
@@ -97,20 +97,32 @@ function testPictureOnNodeComment() {
     $node = $this->drupalCreateNode(array('type' => 'article'));
 
     // Enable user pictures on nodes.
-    variable_set('theme_settings', array('toggle_node_user_picture' => TRUE));
+    config('system.theme.global')->set('features.node_user_picture', TRUE)->save();
 
     // Verify that the image is displayed on the user account page.
     $this->drupalGet('node/' . $node->nid);
     $this->assertRaw(file_uri_target($file->uri), 'User picture found on node page.');
 
     // Enable user pictures on comments, instead of nodes.
-    variable_set('theme_settings', array('toggle_comment_user_picture' => TRUE));
+    config('system.theme.global')
+      ->set('features.node_user_picture', FALSE)
+      ->set('features.comment_user_picture', TRUE)
+      ->save();
 
     $edit = array(
       'comment_body[' . LANGUAGE_NOT_SPECIFIED . '][0][value]' => $this->randomString(),
     );
     $this->drupalPost('comment/reply/' . $node->nid, $edit, t('Save'));
     $this->assertRaw(file_uri_target($file->uri), 'User picture found on comment.');
+
+    // Disable user pictures on comments and nodes.
+    config('system.theme.global')
+      ->set('features.node_user_picture', FALSE)
+      ->set('features.comment_user_picture', FALSE)
+      ->save();
+
+    $this->drupalGet('node/' . $node->nid);
+    $this->assertNoRaw(file_uri_target($file->uri), 'User picture not found on node and comment.');
   }
 
   /**